Ultrasound is a useful, non-invasive imaging technique capable of producing real-time images. Ultrasound imaging has an advantage over X-ray imaging in that ultrasound imaging does not involve ionizing radiation.
It can be difficult to properly capture and analyse ultrasound images. The successful use of ultrasound is dependent on highly-skilled technicians to perform the scans and experienced physicians to interpret them. It typically takes several years of training for a technician to become proficient.
In order to capture a high quality image, an operator needs to use proper scanning technique, including using the right amount of coupling medium, positioning the probe correctly relative to the patient and applying the right level of pressure to the probe.
Anatomy varies between different patients. Technicians must often use ultrasound images to fine-tune positioning of the ultrasound probe. Even experienced operators often make image-plane positioning mistakes.
In addition to scanning technique, there are a wide variety of imaging parameters that must typically be adjusted to suit the type of exam, the anatomical location, and the patient.
Trained ultrasound technicians are not universally accessible. Ultrasound could be used to improve care for more patients, especially in rural and low-resource settings, if less-skilled operators were able to perform ultrasound examinations quickly and accurately.
Examples of ultrasound systems that provide some facility for training technicians and/or providing comments on ultrasound images from a remote location are described in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,297,983; 9,021,358; US2005/0049495; US2011/0306025; US2013/0296707; US2014/011173; and US 2015/0005630. Some existing ultrasound systems enable a remote expert to provide communications to an inexperienced operator regarding ultrasound images.
Asynchronous techniques such as ‘store and forward’ are known in the art. In such a system, images are acquired, and then forwarded and stored until they can be reviewed. These types of systems still rely on a highly trained sonographer to capture the initial images, and there is still a delay between imaging and diagnosis. Furthermore, if the imaging is insufficient, the examination will need to be repeated, causing further delay.
Real-time telemedicine and tele-sonography systems are known in the art. These systems typically rely on conventional multimedia communications to enable two-way communication between the examiner and a remote expert. Typically, the ultrasound imaging data is streamed in real-time and displayed simultaneously with a video stream that provides a view of the ultrasound image displayed in real-time and in some cases with a video stream depicting the patient and the probe. U.S. Pat. No. 9,021,358 discloses simultaneously displaying ultrasound imaging data, medical data about a patient, a video stream depicting the source of the ultrasound imaging data and supplemental information on a remote graphical user interface. A remote expert can provide live voice instructions and certain other feedback to the operator.
Tele-robotic systems are also known in the art. Such systems allow a remote operator to view a real-time stream of ultrasound images and to control a robot to manipulate the probe and acquire an image. Robotic systems carry the disadvantages of a lack of portability, cost, and complexity.
There remains a need for practical and cost effective systems that can help an inexperienced operator to capture ultrasound images and/or learn better imaging techniques. There is a particular need for such systems that can work effectively with relatively low-bandwidth data connections, that are language independent, and that can provide visual feedback to help the inexperienced operator to modify and improve his or her ultrasound scanning technique.